Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

I have a Napoleon. It replaced a Lynx that I had for 17 years.
Bought it because it was in the price range I wanted to pay, knowing that an offset smoker was also in the plans.

Honestly, it's been okay. For $1400, I wasn't expecting high end quality, but it doesn't really feel any better than a $600 big box grill.
The heat distribution on the main surface is really uneven. And that's my primary complaint. But it's a big one.
The side searing burner is really good. More useful than the one on my Lynx.
And the gimmicky light-up knobs have actually alerted me to burners left on. More than once.

The Napoleon feels like it'll last about 6 or 7 years. Which won't be terrible. It gets used at least 2x/week year round.

 

Yeah I was a bit disapointed at the cabinet. Has a 15 year warranty and that would put me into my 80's so it better be the last grill I purchased. On the other hand never dreamed I'd last this long LOL. But overall pleased with it I grill 2-3 times a week all year in Mn. and it sits on the deck. I Fluid Filmed it when I was putting the cabinet together although the side panels are different than the Weber and shouldn't trap water like the Weber did. Cautiously optimistic.

And yes to the lighted knobs thought they were gimmicky as well but have saved me from draining the tank twice so far. And that IR side burner blows away the Weber sear station



For even heat grillgrates first learned about them on here about 10 years ago. Have them for all my grills now including the Napoleon. Had them on the Genesis



18" and 22" Webers



And even have a set for the fixed built in grill at the cabin



They work. For even heat distribution. And stop grease build up below them. Plus add flavor to the protein as the juices burn off just above them. I ordered them for the Napoleon before the grill even got here



Still seasoning them. I flipped 2 over on the left for smash burgers and crusting foods like a griddle. Will likely leave it like this from now on. I have the smoke box, combo charcoal and smoke box, rotisserie basket, etc. But most of the time just use it as you see it.

The grillgrates for the 500 RSIB list at $250 I paid $200 on sale. They are worth it IMO.

 

Glad to see you're actively posting again @Cold Iron ! Always enjoy your pics and insight, and your mac recipe... well, that is the stuff of legend. It's requested at all my cooks.

 

Man I only got my tabletop smoker now, gotta step my game up! My side by side grill got rusted through. Went to replace the burners and stuff this spring but all the fasteners were rusted through and the frame of it was toast. Wasn't worth overhauling that much on it, so I curbed it. Might look for a barrel grill to use for smoking on FBM soon though

Rotisserie is awesome, but the cost benefit for DIY isn't there for me if I'm brutally honest with myself.

My inlaws binned a genesis a couple years back, it made me so sad. The wood was the only issue

I won't lie I didn't know NH Oil was similar, I thought it was oil yeah I see people using spent engine oil, bar oil, etc. Works great but leaves slicks in nature or on the driveway. I've been super happy with woolwax (same thing as FF).

My dog does the same thing - magnet to the water/mud. Lays down in a mud puddle and then rolls around to get nice and coated. We use a car washing hose head filled with dog shampoo now, she gets a bath 2-3 times/week in the summer, if not more.



I leave a little bit of extra splashy splash

 

Spare ribs on the Weber kettle the other day. Too heavy on the pepper, otherwise they were fantastic. Unwrapped for 3 hours, then wrapped for 2 hours. Went to take them out of the foil for the last hour, but already falling apart so that didn’t happen.

 

@Cold Iron I will check out those grates.
They could definitely help with the left to right hot spots, but maybe not as much for front to back. My Napoleon runs really hot up front.

The cast grate on my sear burner was rotted out in 2 years. It had been well seasoned before installation and the grill lives under a large overhang. Disappointing. It was replaced under warranty. New one visually looks to be holding up much better.

 

I ordered a Pit Boss table top smoker for our camping trips. Should arrive Friday. Cant wait for first burn. Any thoughts on what to cook first? Pork Butt ?

Also got a Solo Stove Bonfire for 50 bucks, used only twice. I have my sights on a Pi Fire, the idea seems so cool to me.

 

I have one of those. I think sausages was my fist cook.

Pork butt will fit. Just. A brisket won't whole.

I'd say a pork butt or sausages/turkey/chicken - something that goes quick so you can figure out the ins and outs on it.

 

Pork butt. Cheap and forgiving.

 

Thanks for the heads up on the cast iron sear grate. I ordered the SS one that comes on the higher end Napoleon's but it is still in the box. Would prefer cast iron but it rots here pretty fast. Had cast iron grates for the 22" kettle and seasoned and babied them and in 2 years they fell apart. Fingers crossed that I won't have to replace the sear grate but if I do love the cast iron one and will try a warranty replacement if needed. I used grape seed oil to season oil and have the bottle on the deck to hit them when still hot after using to keep it seasoned.

Did some digging I'd hate for you to spend a couple hundred dollars on the grillgrates and not have them work for you. I'd also hate me LOL. I do like mine and feel they work well. I'm not even from Missouri but show me, so...

Turns out a number of people have issues with the Napoleon 500 being cooler in the front. Here are a couple of pictures with the toast test on the internet, looks like it is a common issue





Both of these ran at high for 15 minutes then turned down to medium and put the bread on for 1 minute. I did the same and it was a bit hot. Which is another thing with grillgrates you use less gas, they run hotter than standard grates.

Hard to see with them being so done they are somewhat even but the ones in the front are a little less done. Close but not the same.



And there goes a cheap loaf of bread LOL. Never tried it before but don't mind playing with my food though.

Hope that helps, not sure if it is definitive for you or not. I do know you can have my grillgrates when you pry them from my cold dead hands

 

Appreciate the review!

I’m still not sold on pellet grills due to your review on that one…

Also happy to see you posting again!

 

Another pork butt. My friends, family and co-workers are all hooked on smoked meats thanks to me. I'm their supplier and enabler.

 

Are you a fan of garlic?
If so, may I make your life better?

 

Yeah I like garlic. How so?

 

The next pork shoulder you get, take a paring knife and stab that thing like 20 or 30 times (without stabbing yourself of course) - Fill each one of those holes with a whole peeled garlic clove. A simple rub of 2/3 freshly cracked black pepper and 1/3 kosher salt. Score the fat cap in a diamond pattern to hold more rub. When finished, squish the garlic cloves (now soft and delicious) into the pulled pork. You can thank me later.

I refer to this as Vampire Pork but you can just call it delicious.

 

Stab and put garlic cloves in it?

 

See above ^^^^^ but yes, you know me well!

 

I poke and stuff garlic into the various cuts of beef that go into the slow cooker for pot roast.
Might try it on the pork next time.

 

Do it!